Fair Grounds

6th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 8fT, 2:02 p.m. ET Courtlandt Farm's OR'EFFICE (Medaglia d'Oro), a $725,000 KEESEP yearling, took some money in his career bow going a mile on the dirt at Aqueduct Dec. 7 and finished fourth. Out of multiple graded-stakes winner Grace Hall (Empire Maker), the Mark Hennig trainee will receive the services of Javier Castellano for his turf debut. TJCIS PPs 4th-FG, $50K, Alw/Opt.Clm., 3yo, 8.5f, 2:27 p.m. ET West Point Thoroughbreds, Chester and Mary Broman and Woodford Racing's CHESTERTOWN (Tapit), the $2-million topper from last year's OBS...

A large and competitive field is set for the first step on the Fair Grounds Road to the Kentucky Derby, Saturday's GIII Lecomte S. 'TDN Rising Star' Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) graduated at second asking sprinting at Churchill Downs Nov. 16 and missed by just a head last time in the slop over this oval Dec. 21. His champion half-sister Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) took her first step towards the GI Kentucky Oaks at this venue when winning the GII Rachel Alexandra S. in 2018. A debut winner at Churchill in...

Jockey Marcelino Pedroza suffered a broke left collarbone as the result of a seventh race spill at Fair Grounds Thursday, according to his agent Richie Price. Jim's Silverbullet suffered a catastrophic injury at the top of the stretch and unseated Pedroza in the process. Mitchell Murrill, aboard rival Max Pandowdy and Robby Albarado, who rode Awe Patriot, were both dislodged from their mounts when trying to avoid Jim's Silverbullet. Murrill took off his remaining mount in race eight and is listed day-to-day. Albarado finished out the card. "[Pedroza] wants to...

Maggi Moss's No Parole (Violence), a 14 1/4-length debut winner here Dec. 15--good for a 90 Beyer Speed Figure--again proved too much for his Louisiana-bred foes to handle as he romped to become the third 'TDN Rising Star' of the day and second by Hill 'n' Dale's Violence. Off at prohibitive 1-5 odds, the $75,000 KEESEP yearling seized command early in the wet going, clicked off splits of :21.79 and :44.45 and cruised home all by his lonesome with just a couple of reminders before being geared down late to...

The comeback of Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) will enter a new phase next week when the Eclipse Award-winning mare returns to the racetrack. Trainer Brad Cox said Monomoy Girl will be sent shortly to his stable at the Fair Grounds on or about Jan. 15. Her appearance at the Fair Grounds will mark a major step forward for a horse that has not raced since winning the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 3, 2018. The connections had planned on running her in 2019, but a couple of relatively small problems...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 9th-FG, $40K, Msw, 4yo/up, a1mT, post time: 5:22 p.m. ET BOTSWANA TAPS (Distorted Humor), a $400K acquisition out of the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, gets his career underway in this two-turn test on the turf. The gray's now 23-year-old dam Unacloud (Unaccounted For) is the dam of nine winners from 12 to race, including GI Arkansas Derby hero and sire Overanalyze (Dixie Union) and GISW Meadow Breeze (Meadowlake)-the dam of GISP Royal Copy (Bodemeister). Botswana Taps is also kin to GI Florida Derby runner-up Majesto...

The Fair Grounds stewards cancelled Friday's race card due to heavy rains and safety concerns at the NOLA track. Live racing will resume Saturday with a 10-race card that kicks off at 1:30 p.m. EST.

A Thread of Blue (Hard Spun), who led every step of the way to cause a 13-1 upset in the 9 1/2-furlong Saratoga Derby Aug. 4, will be pointed for a start in the final leg of the Turf Trinity, the inaugural Jockey Club Derby to be contested over a mile and a half at Belmont Park Sept. 7. "He came out of the race really well, we'll look at [the Jockey Club Derby]," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin told the NYRA notes team. "We weren't sure if he'd get a mile-and-three-sixteenths...

Hronis Racing's Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags), undefeated in two starts to that point, had his coming out party with a 6 3/4-length romp in the GII San Diego H. on opening weekend last summer at Del Mar. He will attempt to repeat that feat as a heavy favorite in Saturday's renewal of the seaside oval's annual prep for the GI Pacific Classic. Debuting in October of 2017 with a sharp off-the-pace success, the chestnut proved both his talent and versatility when annexing a Santa Anita optional claimer in front-running fashion...